Travel Photo of the Day 08-19-2013

Niche of the Nether World – Baodingshan, China

Niche of the Nether World

Niche of the Nether World

Niche of the Nether World

Niche of the Nether World

The Buddhist carvings in Dazu County at Baodingshan are some of the most important monuments to Buddhist art in China. At this location are 10,000 figures carved into the cliffs under a massive project initiated in the Southern Song dynasty by Zhao Zhifeng, a monk of the Tantric or esoteric school of Buddhism. The Baodingshan carvings were completed in one continuous project from 1174 to 1252. The Niche of the Nether World is 41.5′ high, 65.5′ wide and 8′ deep and houses 133 statues. Sitting in the middle of the upper part is ksitigarbha, with ten buddhas seated above his head, and flanked by ten Bodhisattvas and two gods in a row. At two tiers of the lower part are 18 stories of hells including the knife-mountain and knee-chopping hell.